Naked CIO: Open source ain't cheap

The recession has led many IT leaders to search for ways to save money. But open source isn't one of them, says the Naked CIO.

It still surprises me that open source supporters, activists and vendors make the argument that model is cheaper than other software in business environments. This is a myth.

Anyone who has run open source systems in a complex and enterprise business environment must be aware that while it is no more expensive than proprietary solutions, it certainly is not compellingly cheaper.

It's like many long held beliefs that have crippled the credibility of leaders within IT departments all over the country. Another prime example is that IP telephony is less expensive then traditional telephony.

If you believe open source is right for your organisation you must concentrate on the value that it will bring in terms of effectiveness and not the fallacy of cost reduction.

In both cases the cost models are significantly different but the total cost of ownership and support are very similar.

The proponents of open source always seem to point to this area of cost because in every organisation the idea of saving money will generate a positive response from the board. Leaders who take this stance must be prepared for a knock on their credibility because it is unlikely they will be able to demonstrate a significant cost reduction through the implementation of open source.

If you believe open source is right for your organisation you must concentrate on the value that it will bring in terms of effectiveness and not the fallacy of cost reduction. Your business plan should concentrate on which product is best for your overall business.

There will be those who disagree with me that there is not a cost advantage to open source. However, managing multiple mixed environments during my career I have yet to see any significant cost savings through the introduction of enterprise-level open source technology.

The subscription fees for open source products are ongoing costs that for larger organisations can be quite expensive. The cost of experienced and knowledgeable support staff is much more expensive than support engineers for traditional software platforms. Finally, the cost of integration in a mixed environment is much more expensive than in a pure Windows shop.

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I am certainly not saying that open source is more expensive but I am constantly amused that there is still an overwhelming opinion among professionals in the industry that open source remains a cheaper option when clearly it isn't. It also amazes me that we allow this fairy tale to propagate without proper challenge and investigation.

Don't hide behind pounds and pence if you want to deploy open source technology. Rather talk about why from a system perspective it is right for your organisation. If you cannot justify the decision based on performance and effectiveness, you have no right to present it as a viable option to the board - even if you are an open source believer.